Today we’d like to introduce you to Adam Anzio.
Adam, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’m a musician. I’m a songwriter and performer. I’m a multi-instrumentalist and a session musician. I’m also a DJ and a micro-blogger. I have a background in Music Performance, Music Education, Theatre, and Photography. I mostly play guitar, bass guitar, and drums. My main project is named after me, “Adam Anzio”. It is a solo project where I write, record, and perform all of my work. It is inspired by my world view, my experiences, and my artistic and musical influences. I’m a military brat. I have been moving, traveling, and absorbing knowledge and culture since as far as I can remember. I started playing music around age eight and got serious about it around age 11. I taught myself how to play guitar, bass guitar, and drums; becoming proficient pretty quickly. I started formal lessons while already knowing how to play and having an ear for music. I started playing paid gigs as a kid, mostly with jazz combos, and some rock bands. Getting into the Performing Arts, and Fine Arts, opened me up to a lot of different kinds of art. I’ve been a photographer, and video editor as well.
I came up in Punk Rock and admired other kinds of rebel music. I have an affinity for early punk, new-wave, hardcore punk, and reggae. I was always a child that questioned things and had people in my life that went against the grain in a lot of ways. Among other inspirations in my life, they taught me to look at things in a different way. They inspired me to be my true self and strip away the stigmas and stereotypes that society places on us. They influenced me to not be afraid to ask questions that people are afraid to ask, and actually get answers. They showed me that it’s okay to be defiant. They inspired me to be fearless in many scenarios. My music tends to reflect my life and experiences, so the punk influence tends to be pretty strong.
I’ve spent the majority of my life pursuing music performance and moving to different places in the U.S. as well as other parts of the world. I’ve been in and out of a lot of bands, and have worked with a lot of different artists and ensembles. I gained a good bit of experience and had a lot of setbacks. When I moved to Atlanta, taking the advice that this was a great place to do music, people were very cold and seemed too into themselves. A small handful of people ended up befriending me, and when people found out that I had a friend in the scene, or could actually play, they started to come around; which I was, and still am, pretty cautious about. Being in an area with a lot of tight-knit communities can be lonely and despairing for someone who is not knitted in. I try to, as a musician and entertainer, turn out content that reflects my capabilities, and who I am as a person; and to do it often. I try to keep learning and keep growing. There’s no other way for me to do it. So, that brings us to today, where I’m still trying to make things happen.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No. It’s been filled with rejection, deception, failure, negativity, violence, manipulation, among other things from people. I’m usually ignored or turned away by people. I’m not taken seriously that often, and people don’t believe that I can do what I say I can do. I get passed up for a lot of opportunities until they can see what I’m capable of. It’s mostly my weight, my race, and my demeanor that people judge me on. I say that because people foolishly say it to my face; especially when they’re drunk. Life can be tough when you’re not a walking stereotype, or no one understands what you’re going through.
My mental health also makes things difficult. I have anxiety, depression, and PTSD; and sometimes it keeps me from being able to work. As an independent artist, I set my own schedule; but when I get sick, things can potentially get thrown off. These things are good and healthy to address, despite the stigmas historically put on mental health. I was diagnosed with these disorders while in the military, which is a part of my life I don’t like to talk about. It was not always easy, and I have not really been the same since. I try to carry on and work as hard as I can to make my ideas come to fruition, and have a great life. Being mercilessly bullied for most of my life has also made things difficult, even today, but I try to make that pain work for me in positive ways as best I can. Knowing that I will very likely continue to deal with these things, and more, I still aim to make my dreams come true, and have a rad life.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
Adam Anzio, or just Anzio, which is pronounced like “on,see,oh”, is what I go by. It is mostly about music. It’s a way for me to get my thoughts out and display my talents. I play several different instruments, and I compose musical pieces. I try to play out as much as possible, even taking gigs with others. I don’t always get gigs or slots where very many people can see me perform, but I do what I can.
I use social media to display what I do. Whatever project I’m working on, I try to put it on display. I used to make YouTube videos of things I go through day-to-day, and I’ve switched to Instagram Stories, occasionally making compilations of expired clips on that platform. I also do micro-blogging, capturing things from day-to-day, and writing essays based on whatever is on my mind at that moment. My main deal is releasing albums and playing gigs. My first record came out in 2010. I’ve switched up the format of how I do my Anzio performances several times. At first, I would hire musicians to back me up, then I did gigs with just myself and a guitar. Now, I play with keyboards, drum machines, guitars, and computers. I try to make a whole production of it. Occasionally, I’ll play my songs on just a guitar, but I’m more about my self-orchestrated production. I love it.
I do other kinds of performing arts and fine arts. I’ve done photography, video editing, and occasionally being in movies and TV shows, through local casting agencies. I’ve tried other kinds of performance, such as stand-up comedy, improv, and spoken word poetry. I haven’t done those in a while, but I’d like to get back into that. Music, or musicianship, is what I’m the best at.
The thing that separates me from other entertainers is my unique story and the way I live my life today. Everyone has a unique story of course, but I rarely see anyone with experiences similar to mine share it. I tend to be open and honest about things, and not care so much of what anyone thinks. Obviously, I have my flaws and am not perfect, but I do what I can. I don’t concur with a lot of societal norms either. My background, my view of the world, my beliefs, my talents, and many other things, can only be expressed by me, and I’d like to share it. Also, some of the things I share, in any form, could possibly help someone going through something that I have endured. If I can do, for someone, what has been done for me in the past, intentional or otherwise, that would be ideal.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I’d say, a few of my music teachers, tutors, professors, and so on. Other artists and performers who gave me the time of day when many others did not. Fellow musicians and performers who I had a great time working with. My dad, who, as a single father and sole provider to me as a kid, did so much for me in so many ways. All of the naysayers, who I use as fuel to keep going. Anyone I may have forgotten to mention.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.adamanzio.com
- Email: adamanzio17@gmail.com
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/adamxanzio
- Facebook: http://www.fb.com/adamanzioofficial
- Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/adamXanzio
- Other: http://www.adamanzio.bandcamp.com
Image Credit:
Oh Snap Kid (Instagram @ohsnapkid), Chase Tail (Instagram @chasetail), Riley Clapton (Instagram @thepowerestpop), Adam Anzio (Instagram@adamxanzio).
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
